iPhone Smackdown

When it comes to music, arguments can get passionate -- and even heated. In our Soundcheck Smackdown series, guests square off on new releases, controversial artists, or polarizing trends – and we take your calls and comments.

Apple's new iPhone G3 is earning praise from some music fans for its ability to let you listen to live radio, identify songs you hear or even hum, and build playlists of favorite artists or genres. But there's also a growing backlash from iPhone haters who argue that it's all a bunch of marketing hype. Today: a no-holds-barred iPhone debate with Wendy Sheehan Donnell, Senior Editor at PC Magazine, and Steven Levy, Senior Writer at Wired Magazine.

To comment 7 - there was a report out a couple years ago that listed Apple toward the bottom of electronics manufacturers for environmental concerns. Since then there has been talk of possible improvements, which you can read at http://www.greenpeace.org/apple/.

My question about the environmental impact though, which was not well addressed on the show, is that I was asking for a little reflection on the high cost of the constant replacement of these now ubiquitous devices. What happens to all of the electronics waste that is created when so many people are purchasing new iphones, ipods, imacs, nanos, etc, then replacing these devices with new ones as soon as the next one comes out. And if the company creating these products (so heavily marketed on wnyc) is using components that are even more toxic than most electronics, that is worth considering as well.

Okay, seriously all of the people saying that Noki and Treo phones do the same things—and have done them for years—the reality is it has nothing to do with features, but ease of use.

I personally like my Motorola RAZR, but I don't use it deeply mainly because the software and user interface is wretched.

It's the difference between giving a pile of the same ingredients to a chef and someone who doesn't really know what they are doing. It's the way it all comes together. And for the iPod it just works better.

I’m tired of people in the media calling all other smart phones iPhone wannabe’s. I have a Helio Ocean and love love love it! If you are unfamiliar with this device check out the link http://www.helio.com/#devices_ocean and get familiar.

using opera mini on my blackberry, I can load fully fomatted websites and when the blackberry bold comes out with an even better screen than the iphone, it will be amazingly better because it will have a real keyboard not a touchscreen.

Saying that the Iphone is changing the landscape of the mobile world is a joke. Nokia has had their N series out for years. With MANY different options, from video recording to even streaming your movies from your home pc over WiFi. Even the N95 has options for an 8gig hard drive, and a 5mp camera. The price isn't a cheap for us here because NONE of the cell companies can make the $ back like they do on the Iphone.

My husband has an iphone. It is great. We went to a barbeque this weekend, and I was able to use his phone to get my favorite sangria recipe from the web and prepare it at our friends' house and it was so easy, not like my crappy blackberry. As soon as my current verizon contract runs out, I'm getting an iphone.

By the way, who the heck uses camera phones and all that other useless crap that comes with other phones? The ease of use on the iphone is waaaay more important.

I bought after the 1st price reduction. The phone works well, there have been several updates (including triangulation/location) along with the 'massive' and complete redo to version 2.0 with the introduction of the G3. I use many functions - e-mail, stock market updates, internet (extremely handy when shoping and price comparing) - and the 1st gen is made with a metal, not plastic case. I'm not interested in 'unlocking' - I've been an AT&T, Cingular, AT&T user for decades. Oh yes - I download a lot of NPR podcasts (Wait, Wait, Sunday Puzzle, Car Talk, etc.) and listen while on the road, or wherever. I also downloaded the movie Ratatouli (sp?) and found it OK to watch on the phone as well as on my screen. I like it a lot and would buy another. (Oh yeah - not concerned with the GPS function but use it to find places - I've been a Garmin fan for years from flying to driving).

Money magazine had an article about Steve Jobs that pointed out Apple is the dirtiest computer maker out there when it comes to making a green computer. They also pointed out that Steve Jobs donates nothing to charity. I’m not a Microsoft fan but how much has Bill Gates donated of his own money?

I have a first generation iPhone that I bought...yes for $599 in June 2007. I still love my iPhone - and it really has just gotten better with the new software capabilities rolled out in iPhone OS 2.0 - although Apple does has some software kinks to work out.

The name iPhone is such a misnomer because I really use it more as a mobile computing and internet device - something I could never do with previous smartphones I've had.

And the software integration of the iPhone with my computer is a major selling point of the device. Most of my other phones never really synced with my computer's calendar and contacts easily, not to mention the media files I might want to transfer to the device.

The iPhone is a great device because it is the first to truly get all of its functional elements working as tools I actually use on a day to day basis, not simply as specifications on paper that really don't function well.

My wish list... The camera does need improvement - wish it were better (it's poor at capturing in low light and there's no flash) and captured video.

You can't deny though, that the iPhone changes the game in the cell phone business. While many others technically have the capability, do you know of *any* other cell phone out there that has people actually using the internet on them?

Apple is not "all hype and marketing". There might just be something better about this thing, no?

So this is basically a long commercial for an iphone? I am tired of apple, it might be a good product but it is more hype than anything else. If every other good device got some much press they would also be in par with the sales of the iphone.

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